With every passing week, the competition for the playoffs gets more intense in the Eastern Conference. With a 9-match winning streak, Detroit Pistons are the team to beat this season. New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers are also in great rhythm. Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers are locked in a dogfight with Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic for the playoff berths. The past two weeks have been full of action in the East, and here’s a quick recap of all the action.
Key Match Summaries
Detroit Pistons are setting the tone early as J.B. Bickerstaff has led his team to 9 back to back wins since their last defeat to Cleveland. Cade Cunningham has been unplayable at times as he is averaging 27.5 points per game. Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson are also leading the charts for most assists and rebounds.
With just one defeat in their past five games, New York Knicks are peaking at the right moment. With wins over Chicago, Washington, Brooklyn, Memphis and Miami, they have turned up the heat. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 39 points against Miami, while Jalen Brunson is averaging over 28 points this season.
Riding on Donovan Mitchell’s brilliance, Cleveland stand at 6-4. They defeated Washington, Chicago, Miami and Memphis while falling to defeats against Miami and Toronto.
Quin Snyder has helped the Atlanta Hawks remain undefeated in their past five games. Jalen Johnson & Co. have managed wins over LA Lakers, Sacramento Kings, Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns in the past two weeks.
Toronto Raptors began their season with back-to-back losses, but since then, they have gone 7-1, dropping just one match against the 76ers. Brandon Ingram, Scottie Barnes, and RJ Barnett are all averaging approximately 20 points per game.
Philadelphia 76ers have failed to build any sort of momentum. They have won twice in the past couple of week against Toronto and Boston while enduring defeats against Cleveland, Chicago and Detroit.
Apart from Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks don’t look too good. The Greek Freak has averaged over 32.6 points per game, but he has been troubled by a knee injury. His absence meant that Milwaukee has been alternating between a win and a loss since the season began.
The longest serving coach in NBA, Erik Spoelstra, helped Miami Heat win three games on the trot, but in their last two matches, they were soundly beaten by Cleveland and New York. Norman Powell is averaging over 26 points per game, but the team still has plenty of holes to plug.
Chicago are in the midst of a five-match losing streak. For a side that won their first three games, Billy Donovan has to work out a way to end the slump and fast. Their most recent defeat to Jazz in overtime highlighted how things haven’t worked out despite the brilliance of Josh Giddey, who is averaging approximately 22 points per game.
The Celtics are 7-7, and have managed just three wins in their past five games. Orlando have a similar record while Charles Lee has overseen four wins with Charlotte, but only two of them have come in the last 10 matches.
Standout Players and Performances
According to Sofascore, Giannis is the most prolific player from East with average rating of 8.61 this season. Tyrese Maxey of the 76ers is averaging 8.33, while Cade Cunningham is averaging 8.02. Donovan Mitchell (7.98) and Josh Giddey (7.91) also feature among the best of the lot.
League Table & Impact
The Pistons are sitting comfortably atop the Eastern Conference standings with 9 consecutive wins. New York Knicks are in second place, just ahead of Cleveland Cavaliers. Atlanta Hawks leapfrogged Toronto Raptors to jump to fourth place, while the 76ers are just ahead of Milwaukee Bucks. Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics occupy the qualification playoff berths. Orlando, Charlotte and Brooklyn have plenty of work to do as Indiana and Washington remain bottom.
Injuries and Suspension Updates
Kristaps Porzingis, Zaccharie Risacher and Eli John N’Diaye are being monitored on day-to-day basis. Jalen Duren and Cade Cunningham could miss the match against Pacers. Giannis is also likely to sit out of Bucks’ match against the Cavaliers. Miles McBride and Kevin McCullar Jr. are also set to miss New York’s match against the Heat.
Looking Ahead
Week 5 brings more exciting action as Detroit Pistons will face Atlanta Hawks and Giannis’ Milwaukee Bucks. Cleveland too will meet the Bucks and Kevin Durant’s Houston Rockets. New York Knicks face three tricky games against Dallas, Miami Heat, and Orlando. Chicago Bulls face a daunting trip to Denver Nuggets. Orlando will take on Steph Curry’s Golden State while playoff hopefuls Toronto Raptors will be up against the 76ers. It’s a tough week ahead for the Bucks with matches lined up against teams above them in the standings.